Always
by wisdom-walks-alone
Summary: When Annabeth gets into a car accident, the only thing Percy can do is hope she'll be alright. Oneshot. Percabeth. Mortal AU. Angst. Rated K plus for mentions of death and paranoia.


The truck came out of nowhere.

It sped onto the street as if possessed by a demon and showed no signs of stopping. The first thought that crossed Annabeth's mind was, _It's on the wrong side of the road._ Her second thought proved more helpful; _Get out of here! Move! Turn!_

Her car swerved and horns honked, but Annabeth could only see the bumper of the truck as it collided with her windshield.

It hit her full-force, and Annabeth idly wondered who was screaming before her vision blacked.

* * *

Percy nearly dropped the phone from the sudden numbness that fell over his body. "Y-yes, I'll—I'll be right there," he said, trying to keep his voice steady. It was shaking anyway, but that didn't matter right now. He hastily hung up and scrambled to grab his jacket and keys.

 _Let her be okay,_ he prayed. _Let Annabeth be alright._

He hopped in his car and sped out of the parking lot, not even caring about the fact that there's something called a _speed limit_ he has to follow.

 _Please, please, please._

The quick way to the hospital was blocked off, some sort of freak accident or something.

 _Oh please, please no. Don't let it be her. Not her. Not Annabeth._

He took a detour and hoped, hoped that she would be okay. Hoped she wasn't the one in the collision.

The hospital parking lot was packed as usual, but it seemed just a little more hectic and crowded than normal.

 _Please be okay. Please let it all be okay._

Percy flew out of his car and ran to the entrance of the ER. He pushed his way to the front desk, where the receptionist didn't even bat an eye at him.

"My name is Percy Jackson. I'm here for Annabeth Chase."

The receptionist looked up at him and glanced at his ID, then gave him the most pitiful look that made his stomach churn and collapse in on itself. "Have a seat and fill this out," she said, sliding him a clipboard and pen.

 _No,_ he wanted to say, _I want to see her. I want to see her_ now. But he took the clipboard and pen, sat down, and waited.

* * *

They called him in twenty minutes later, said that he should see her before… The nurse didn't say anything after that, and just motioned for him to follow her. Percy's stomach dropped to his feet and his heart fell ten stories. Silently, he nodded, and followed the nurse without a word.

She laid on a cot, all bruised and battered and scratched, her blond hair splayed on the pillow. It hurt to see her like this.

The nurse had left, leaving them alone, leaving him alone. He pulled up a chair and took her hand in his, rubbing the back of her palm gently.

"Please, Wise Girl," Percy pleaded, swallowing the lump in his throat, "you gotta wake up. You have to come back to me. Please, Annabeth, please."

A tear trailed down his face and he quickly wiped it away with his sleeve. He rested his forehead on her hand, still clutching it tightly and, before he knew it, he was crying.

* * *

It was dark, Annabeth noticed, insanely, utterly, impossibly dark. Looking around she saw two open doors, the one on the left pouring out the brightest white light, the other showing an image. It was Percy, holding her hand and crying softly.

She started to run to the door. She had to get back. Back to her life. Back to Percy.

But something was trying to keep her from it. Some invisible force that repelled her like like ends of two magnets. She struggled through it, determined to go back.

"Annabeth?"

The voice was familiar. The voice was surprised. The voice was concerned.

"Mom?" Annabeth asked, turning around. It was, indeed, her mother, framed by the white light as she stood in the other door.

"Annie?" Two other figures appeared, and her brother and best friend were there on either side of her mom.

"Malcolm? Luke?"

"Annabeth, what are you doing here?" Malcolm demanded, but he didn't seem mad. No, he seemed worried, sad even.

Annabeth couldn't speak. They looked just like she remembered them, tall with blond hair and bright eyes. Malcolm's were grey, like hers, and Luke's were blue. Just how she remembered.

"Annie," Luke said again, snapping her out of her trance. He gave her a sad, but serious look. "You can't be here."

"I…" Annabeth's mouth went dry. "I know," she finally choked out. "I have to go."

Before she could change her mind, she turned and forcefully dashed through the other door.

* * *

"Percy…"

Percy looked up immediately, thankful to hear her voice. "Annabeth!"

"Percy," she said weakly, trying to force her eyes open. "Percy I—I love you, Seaweed Brain. Always." Her eyes fluttered closed and Percy panicked.

"No," he said, standing up in alarm. "No, no, no, no, Wise Girl, please. Annabeth you have to come back. You have to come back to me!"

He put a hand to her face, hoping she would just _wake up._

He put his forehead to hers and whispered, "Please."

* * *

Annabeth was back in the endless abyss of darkness again. The door on the left was vacant, nothing in it but the white light. The one on the right was closed, locked she assumed. A tear slid down her cheek, and she knew what she had to do.

She stepped through the left door.

* * *

The heart monitor went flat, and Percy knew it was over. He cried silently into Annabeth's hair, wishing desperately that it could've been different. That she could've lived.

He sat back in his chair and wiped his face, then pulled a box from his back pocket and opened it. A ring lay inside, a small diamond encrusted in the center.

He took it out and slid it onto Annabeth's finger. He squeezed her hand, feeling like a huge weight was just dropped on his shoulders.

"I've been carrying this ring around for the last four months, trying to figure out the best time to ask." He smiled bitterly, remembering how he dragged Grover to help him find the right one. How he'd tried to build up the courage and almost asked her multiple times. "This ring was meant for you, and it will be yours forever. I love you, Wise Girl. Always."

He kissed her one last time, letting his tears fall on her face.

* * *

 **This was requested by my friend on Tumblr. I'm aware it sucks and is all over the place and I'm sorry.**


End file.
